Road Trip to Gakkai
by Becca FB
Summary: Based on the novel Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty: After learning that Marcus must leave for college in California in a week, he and Jessica decide to make a road trip of the cross country journey.
1. Road Trip to Gakkai

**Title:** Road Trip to Gakkai

**Author:** BeccaFB

**Genre:** Miscellaneous Books, Romance/Humor, From Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty, Character Pairing: Marcus/Jessica

**Rating:** PG-13

**Summary:** After learning that Marcus has been accepted to college in California and must leave immediately, he and Jessica decide to make a summer road trip of the journey cross country.

**Disclaimer:** These characters belong to Megan McCafferty and Three Rivers Press and are used at the discretion of the author.

**Note:** The contents of this story expand on the novel Second Helpings by Megan McCafferty. It is set less than a week after its completion. The author advises that this novel and its prequel, Sloppy Firsts be read before reading this story.

**_

* * *

_****_the third_**

Leave it to my best friend to put things in perspective for me.

I'd just finished packing for my trip to California with Marcus, when Hope called from Tennessee. I hate packing, always have, and of course there's nothing like spending a long distance phone call blowing something as miniscule as packing for a road trip into otherworldly proportions. I went on and on describing how all of the stuff that I needed for this trip could not possibly fit into a suitcase the size of the space beneath my bed. When I finally stopped to take a breath there was silence on the other end. Then,

"If you think that's bad, try packing everything you own into a few boxes and moving your entire life to a new place." Oh, yeah. That. That definitley makes packing for a month long cross country road trip seem like nothing. I suck.

When Marcus first suggested that I go with him on his trip west to Gakkai College, spend some time with him while he got settled, and then fly back to New Jersey in time for me to move to New York and start classes at Columbia I knew I definitley wanted to go, but that there were several fairly large obstacles standing in my way.

The Top Obstacles in the Life of Jessica Darling as of July 3, 2002

Obstacle #1: Convincing my parents. I know they like Marcus and everything, but they're not stupid. They may not know that I've slept with him, but they aren't oblivious enough not to realize that if it hasn't happened, it will on this trip.

Obstacle #2: Paying for a return trip plane ticket. Let's face it. I am paying for college completely on my own with the help of the money my grandmother left me. I'm not exactly rolling in cash and I don't have much, if any, to spare. And, the last time I checked, the airlines don't appreciate stow aways.

Obstacle #3: This just might make the separation from Marcus even harder. Now before you roll your eyes, hear me out: Finding out that he was leaving a little over a week after we, well...got together (Fuck it. A little over a week after we had sex, ok? We had sex. God, will I ever stop smiling when I think about that?)was hard. Tagging along for his cross country college excursion could make it harder. Our good-bye would be more long and drawn out, and that might be torture. On the other hand, it would mean more time together. We wouldn't be separated immediately. Maybe it would be better than letting him just up and leave. So, does that mean this isn't actually an obstacle? No, no. My indecision alone could make it the biggest obstacle.

Obstacle #4: Less time with family and friends before everyone leaves for college. Shocking right? Who knew that I, Jessica Darling, would be concerned about not spending my summer with my parents? The truth is this is the last time that I will ever live in my parent's house (hopefully). I should be spending time with them, because after this everything changes. And while the only friends that I would _want_ to spend this time with would be Hope, who is in Tennessee getting ready for college, and Marcus, who is the whole reason for this list, there are people from Pineville High that it wouldn't kill me to spend time with before we all say good-bye. Manda, Sara, Bridget, Pepe, Scotty, and Len may not be my best friends forever, but I did spend the last four years with them. It might be nice to see them before they leave, even if the only lasting effect is that time spent with them makes me more grateful for finally getting out of Pineville.

Ok, so these "obstacles" are insane. I know. Likely the trip will only take a month, which means I have a month to spend with family and friends before moving to New York, and I would rather spend the next month with Marcus and say good-bye to him in Calfornia then say good-bye to him right here, right now and miss him for the next month. As for my parents and the cost of a plane ticket, my mother said to me (after a very convincing and persuasive speech on my part and a long silence on the part of her and my dad),

"Jessica, you're 18. You're an adult. This decision is really your's to make. We will miss you if you decide to go, but there will be about a month after you get back for us to spend some time together before you leave for college."

"And besides, Notso, I think you're forgetting something," my father added. The only way I could answer was a with a blank a stare; I had no idea what he was talking about. "Your bank account, the one you've had since you were in the third grade. That's got a pretty good sum of money in it by now."

"Seriously? I'm allowed to use that money?" I questioned. My father shrugged,

"It's your money."

"But I thought it was, like fall back, or something. Not to use for college, but to save just in case of...something."

"It's up to you." I began to smile. I could do this. I could actually make this happen. No obstacles, no overprotective parents. Just, me, a legal, anti-Bush, voting adult who was free to manage her own money and make her own decisions, whether it was in choosing a college or going on a road trip. So now I'm packed, my bags are downstairs by the front door ready to go, I have checked and double-checked and I have everything I need. I AM GOING TO CALIFORNIA! With my boyfriend, no less. Can you say "best summer EVER"? Yes. Yes, you can.

**Author's Note:** If anyone was offended by the anti-Bush statement made, I want to apologize. The character of Jessica Darling mentions several times in Second Helpings that she is not a Bush supporter, and I was simply referencing this fact to try to be as faithful to her voice as possible. I realize that it is a sensitive subject as the election was a fairly recent event, but it was not made with any malice on my part. Thank you for your understanding and happy reading! Reviews are always appreciated.


	2. On the Road

**Author's Note:** Heaps of apologies for the beyond late update. Schoolwork, extracurriculars, and family obligations got the best of me and I haven't kept up with this story the way I promised myself I would. But my summer begins in two days (hopefully) giving me more time to write. For now, here's the second installment.

* * *

_**the fourth**_

Early this morning (and I mean really early, six a.m. early), the Caddie pulled up to my house ready to make its way cross-country. I opened the door for Marcus as he made his way up the walk. Tired, but excited, I kissed him good morning and invited him inside. He followed me into the kitchen where my mother and father sat at the breakfast table drinking coffee, my father reading the sports section of the paper first.

"Hey Mr. and Mrs. Darling," Marcus said as we entered.

"Good morning, Marcus," my mother greeted. She was obviously tired. Dark circles rimmed her eyes, evident without makeup. She wore her bathrobe and her hair hadn't yet been brushed.

"Hello, Marcus," my father said without even looking up from the article he was reading. Consternation marred his features. The Knicks had obviously lost again.

Marcus shifted from foot to foot. The only other time I had ever really seen him show any signs of nervousness was when he told me that he was going to California for college. Apparently having to see your girlfriend's parents minutes before the two of you leave on a cross-country road trip where you will be having sex in cheap Motel 6's or the back of the car (depending on where you decide to stop for the night), and knowing that aforementioned parents likely know this, makes a guy nervous. I decided to save him from the mental torture.

"Well, you guys," I said, "this is it." I went to my mom first and she stood and gave me a big hug.

"Call me every night," she sniffled, "even if you have to call collect. And be careful."

"I will, mom. I promise." I made my way to my dad, "Bye dad." We hugged and he kissed me on the forehead.

"Have a good time," he told me as he let me go. I smiled, one huge, mega-watt, probably could be seen from outer space, smile, "I will. Thanks dad." My dad then shook Marcus's hand, my mom told him to 'take care of our girl', and we were on our way. The first thing he did once we were in the Caddie, and once my parents had waved good-bye for a final time and shut the door, was to pop Barry Manilow into the 8-track.

"The showman of our time, huh?" I joked.

"The showman of our time," he smiled at me. Content, I leaned back into the seat, and the car pulled away from the curb. We rode in silence for a while. Marcus hummed along to Barry and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel. We were stopped at a traffic light and it reminded me of one of the conversation starters that Marcus had used when we had first started talking and had become whatever it was we were. I still don't know if we could actually be called friends back then.

"Did you know that the average American spends six months of his or her life waiting for red lights to turn green?" he had asked me. The memory gave me a mushy feeling inside; the feeling I used to only get after watching _Sixteen Candles_.

"What?" Marcus interrupted my thoughts.

"What?"

"You have this look on your face. What are you thinking about?"

I smiled, "The average American spends six months of his or her life waiting for red lights to turn green." He obviously remembered this, too.

"Well then let's not waste it." At a break in the traffic he sped through the intersection at top speed, just missing being clipped by a car coming from the other direction. I laughed out of shock, my eyes wide and my heart pounding a little bit.

"I can't believe you just did that."

"Can't you?" I didn't respond just smiled at him. He smiled back.

"Ok," he said, turning his eyes back to the road. "This is probably the only time we're going to take a road trip cross country, so what do you want to see?"

"You mean like landmarks?"

"Yeah."

"The ones that parents and their children go to for their Kodak moments when they take their family vacations?"

"Yes, Jessica." Marcus smirked.

"Hmm, I'll have to think about it. Although I don't know how anything I might come up with could top the Five Wonders of Pineville." He laughed and grabbed my hand, kissing it.

We drove all day; I even drove some.

"You're going to let me drive the Caddie?"

"Yeah."

"But you love this car."

"Where are you going with this Jess?"

"I don't know. I'm just surprised I guess."

"Should I be worried about your driving?"

"No!" He laughed. "Give me the keys," I took them and made my way to the driver's seat. "I'll show you," I muttered under my breath, despite the childishness of the comment. I drove and drove, finding a rhythm as we sped along the highway that it seems only the longest car trips, the ones where you're really not sure of where exactly you'll end up, can have. Tonight we ended up in a tiny town just on the border of Ohio and Kentucky. And I learned that Motel 6's aren't always that bad...

The next morning, I woke up to Marcus shaking my shoulder chanting, "Jess! Jess!" in a loud whisper until he'd broken through my overtired, sleep-induced fog.

"What?" I whined groggily. He only smiled.

"I know where we're going."

**Author's Note:** Now of course Marcus and Jessica will eventually end up in California. That's the whole purpose of the trip in the first place! But that doesn't mean they can't make a few stops along the way. Again, apologies for the late update, but hang in there and stay tuned...


End file.
